A Kurdish student from Sardasht, arrested during a protests rally in Orumiyeh, was sentenced to five years of imprisonment on charges of acting against national security.

Kurdistan Human Rights Network has been informed that on January 26, Ibrahim Khalidi, a Kurdish student, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “acting against national security through participation in Orumiyeh protests by the Orumiyeh Revolutionary Court (Branch 2) headed by Judge Sheikhloo.

The verdict has been officially served on him through his lawyer. This student is also accused of “Blasphemy (insulting the prophet)” which will be investigated by the Orumiyeh Criminal Court.

According to Article 262 of the Islamic Penal Code, the punishment for insulting Prophet Muhammad is death sentence which could be reduced to 74 lashes per Article 264 of the same code if the defendant confesses to the court that he/she had made offensive statements based on anger, mistake or by way of reference to a quotation.

Ibrahim Khalidi (a student at Orumiyeh University), was arrested on December 14 during the protests rally by security forces in Orumiyeh and transferred to the intelligence bureau.

After two weeks of interrogation in the intelligence detention centre, he was transferred to the Orumiyeh Central Prison where he is held in ward 13 (Youth section) in difficult conditions without the right to have a bed and basic facilities.

Ibrahim Khalidi is expected to receive a heavy sentence due to the alleged discovery of blasphemous content against prophet in his cell phone when arrested.

It should be noted that five other citizens from Orumiyeh arrested during the protests were sentenced by the Orumiyeh Revolutionary Court (Branch 3) to six months to five years of imprisonment on charges of acting against national security and propaganda against the regime yesterday.